Recognizing his lifelong commitment to improving the lives of the people of South Florida, Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried has endorsed Representative Javier Fernandez in his campaign for District 39.
“Rep. Javier Fernandez is the leader South Florida needs in the State Senate,” declared Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. “In the State House, Javier has shown his commitment to standing up for our public schools, dealing with climate change, and to passing common sense gun safety measures like HB 807, legislation we worked on together that would close loopholes to help keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people. As Florida navigates new challenges facing our state and a slow economic recovery, I know Javier is the right person to help lead South Florida towards a brighter future. I am proud to endorse him in Senate District 39 and look forward to working with him in his new role in Tallahassee.”
State Senate District 39 represents the top battleground for Democrats to flip blue in 2020. Since announcing his campaign, Representative Javier Fernandez has generated excitement and momentum for his candidacy, drawing the endorsement of all seventeen members of the Senate Democratic Caucus and the support of Senate Victory, Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, the Florida AFL-CIO, the Latino Victory Fund, the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, and the SAVE Action Fund.
“Commissioner Nikki Fried has shown that she is dedicated to improving the lives of Floridians with the work she puts in on their behalf every day,” stated Representative Javier Fernandez. “It was an honor to work with Commissioner Fried on commonsense gun safety reform this year and to stand with her as we work to combat food insecurity for Florida families during this pandemic. I am excited to have her endorsement and to continue to move our state forward together when I am elected to the State Senate.”
Representative Javier Fernández is a Democrat and proud son of a single-mother and retired Miami-Dade County school teacher. Raised in Senate District 39 with his three siblings, Javier graduated from Christopher Columbus High School and went onto college with a full academic scholarship, ultimately earning his law degree. After graduation, Javier began his career advocating to expand the supply of affordable housing and improve some of our most neglected communities. He then had the honor of serving as the chief of staff to former Miami mayor Manny Diaz, before spending the last decade in the private sector as a practicing real estate lawyer. As a State Representative, Javier has fought for common-sense gun reform, full funding for our public schools, and improved public transit in Miami-Dade County. Javier and his wife, Dr. Anna Maria Patino-Fernandez, a clinical child psychologist, have been married for 15 years. They have two children – Susanna (11) and Lucas (9).
